In Lancaster, Texas, south of Dallas, roofs were stripped to bare plywood and houses were speared by flying two-by-fours. About 300 buildings were damaged, according to the city’s mayor. A citywide curfew was put in place, and a shelter was opened.

“It was like ‘The Wizard of Oz,’ ” said Gwen Dabbs, who wasn’t able to make it to an interior room before the storm blew her windows out. She huddled in a corner of her living room covered with blankets as the tornado passed.